Arirang 3 satellite successfully enters correct earth orbit

Arirang 3 satellite successfully enters correct earth orbit. May. 19, 2012 07:33. uneasy75@donga.com.

The Arirang 3 multipurpose satellite that was launched at Tanegashima space center in Japan`s Kagoshima Prefecture has communicated with a satellite earth station in Korea. The satellite has entered the correct trajectory of the earth’s orbit and is thus fully ready to conduct mission.

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute said the Arirang 3 made contact with the Satellite Information Research Center at the institute at 3:18 p.m. Friday, about one hour and 39 minutes after lift-off. More than 60 researchers at the institute, who stayed awake overnight at the center from Thursday, applauded to celebrate their success.

Soon after confirming the communication, Choi Hae-jin, chief of the multipurpose satellite 3 taskforce, told reporters, “We confirmed that the Arirang 3’s heart is beating,” adding, “From now on, we must wrack our brains over how to cultivate the satellite."

○ 99-minute dramatic story from lift-off to communication

The Arirang 3 was launched into space aboard the H-IIA rocket at 1:39 a.m. Friday. Following an immense banging sound, the rocket blasted off the station to distance itself from the earth, emitting orange lights and disappearing as a tiny dot in dark skies some 2 minutes later.

Soon after, a broadcast announcement was made at the space station to inform that two solid state boosters attached to the stage 1 rocket were spun off as scheduled, and that the pairings (protective cover for the satellite) on the second-phase rocket were also separated.

At three seconds past 1:55 a.m., an announcement was made on the Arirang 3`s spun-off from the rocket at 676.35 kilometers above the earth. Korean officials at the space center exclaimed “Yes!” and breathed a sigh of relief.

At 2:17 a.m., the Arirang 3 sent a message on its status “informing its sound condition” to the Troll satellite earth station in Antarctica, operated by the Norwegian company KSAT. This moment confirmed the success of the first-phase launch.

At 3:09 a.m., the satellite sent a second communication with a satellite earth station in Norway`s Svalbard Island. At nine seconds past 3:18 a.m., the satellite responded to the last of the initial communications from the Daejeon satellite earth station in Korea.

Thus the Arirang 3 signaled that that it entered the correct trajectory of the earth’s orbit, opened solar cell panels to get electricity, and was ready to start operations as a satellite. This meant the final phase of success, which Korean officials in their seats applauded and shouted in joy. The satellite will send the first batch of photos in about three to four weeks.

○ Success to stimulate Russia, adding to expectations for Arirang 5’s launch

Japan is in an upbeat mood due to the successful launch of the Arirang 3, anticipating that this will enable the country to receive a flurry of orders for satellite launch projects.

Soon after the launch, Hideaki Omiya, president of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, told a joint news conference of Korean and Japanese reporters, “Japan has conducted the launch of a foreign satellite for the first time, and I`m very happy over the success,” adding, “With this success as a turning point, we hope to launch more foreign commercial satellites.”

Kim Seung-jo, president of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, said, “Looking at the launch of the H-IIA rocket on site in person, I am deeply impressed by (Japan`s) technological prowess,” adding, “We will step up efforts to launch a Korean standard satellite launcher in 2021 after successfully conducting the third-round launch of the Naro 3 satellite in October this year.”

The Korean government also expects that the Arirang 3’s successful launch will send a positive stimulus to Russia, which is responsible for the Arirang 5’s launch. Installed with video radar, the Arirang 5 was set to be launched last year but suffered repeated delays due to internal problems with the Russian satellite company.